Gordon Strachan has challenged Kevin Davies to prove he's a striker - by scoring goals.

The Saints boss is full of praise for the former Blackburn man's hard-working performances but stressed he will ultimately be judged on the number of times he hits the back of the net.

Davies has not scored in his last seven starts for Saints and has only managed three goals from 19 appearances this season - although he has not always played as an out-and-out striker.

Now Strachan hopes Davies can add to his last goals, which came back-to-back against Liverpool and West Ham in January.

Strachan said: "Kevin's work rate between 18-yard box and 18-yard box has been great but he needs to score goals.

"If you are a striker then you need to strike, if not you are just a player.

"Kevin's movement needs to come in the box because that's where the goals are for a striker.

"We train all the time on movement in the box and try and have special sessions for that. Jo Tessem is excellent at it because when a cross comes in he is always somewhere between the posts and that's where Kevin needs to be."

However, Strachan has backed his man to come good and insists he can still go a long way in the game if he wants it enough.

The Scotsman said: "Even if you are striking the ball wide of the posts all the time then you are still striking and that's what Kevin needs to do.

"His future is totally up to him. He has a lot going for him - his pace, power, aggression - a lot more than a lot of people have got.

"But he needs to be a threat and it is something we speak to Kevin about every week and he is trying his best."

The lack of goals from Davies is indicative of Saints' recent performances, culminating last week in the 2-0 defeat at Blackburn, in which the former Ewood Park hero stumbled over the ball when one-on-one with the keeper.

Strachan says that the goals need to come if Saints are going to push on up the table. "I would like to think we would have won more games," he said.

"Statistically and in terms of possession we should have won more but football does not work that.

"If we could have won some of these games we have drawn we would be right, right up there but we have not got the ability to put the ball into the back of the net as much as we would like.

"But I can console myself with the fact that the players are playing good football and with their hearts some time as well."